Page 58 of Forgive Me For I Have Sinned

"Are you crazy?"

"I don't know." He fires up the car and buckles us both in the seat. "That's what they say, but who knows, are people that kill others crazy?" He adjusts the mirrors. "Let me know if you can see through the rearview and side mirrors."

I nod. My hands tremble slightly because he is pulling out onto the road, and I have never been behind the wheel of a car before.

"Relax. I will never let anything happen to you. I've been worried about you. I thought–" he trails off.

"You know where the gas and the brake are?"

"I know the basics, just never been behind the wheel."

He maneuvers the car to an abandoned lot. "Alright. Try it out."

"I–I'm going to mess up your car," I say, stammering nervously.

He slides the palms of his hands over mine and rasps against my neck, "I have more." He slides my hair over the opposite shoulder. "I picked this one because it's a smoother ride and not as intimidating."

He removes his hands, and I panic. "No…no…put them back."

I hear the smile in his voice. "Alright." I close my eyes when I feel the heat of his hands over mine.

"Don't let go."

He kisses my neck. "Never." His mouth wanders over my skin, causing a chill to slide down my back. "Relax, baby. I'm right here. You scared me. I couldn't find you, and what you saw wasn't how it was made to be. I had to get rid of her and sever ties with her company."

"Why?"

"Because she was a game, Veronica. It was the only way Reid could marry Jess."

That is probably why he didn't interfere in her little jealous rant in his office or didn't go after me when I walked out. Reid wanted Jess but was betrothed to Tara since they were in high school, and Alaric was the only way he could sway the Order and blackmail her. Since her father wasn't initiated into the Order by birth, his daughter had no freedom to sleep around before marriage. That was only reserved for offspring born into it.

I press my foot on the gas, and the car lunges forward, and I laugh when he grips my hands tightly over the steering wheel, the car picking up speed. "Slow down, you little speed demon." I let my foot off the gas as we come up on a turn. "Okay, slow down." I apply the brake harder than necessary, and he holds me so I don't fly forward. "Not so hard. You're doing good."

"Liar."

"You are. Turn the wheel to the left and let your foot off the brake. Don't press the gas until you get the hang of it."

"I want to go faster."

I did. Going slow is like sweet torture. I want to feel the rush of being scared but knowing he won't let anything happen to me. I love feeling safe in his arms.

Once I straighten the wheel, there is nothing but an open parking lot about a mile long. No car in sight. Just the moon in the dark sky and the yellow-orange glow from the streetlights.

"Alright. Press the gas."

"Hard?"

"However you want."

I press the gas and floor it, hearing the engine rumble and the tires screech on the pavement. My heart is beating so fast as the car picks up speed. Adrenaline surges through my veins, putting every cell in my body on alert, but I know nothing will happen––nothing will happen as long as he is with me because I know, deep down, he won't let it. The lights fly by like straight lines, and I can't see the end of the street.

“Let go of the gas.” I do. “Now Brake!"

I brake, and his arm feels like steel wrapped around me, holding me to his chest. The seat belt locks us both to the seat. The screaming sound of the tires fill my head. I’m panting by the time the car makes a complete stop.

I lean back and feel him kiss my head. "You did well. Did that feel good?"

"Yes."

---